1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automated process line for installing glass window panels in automobile bodies and in particular, preventing the installation of glass window panels having overcured adhesive thereon.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The method and apparatus of the present invention are useful in conventional systems for installing windshields in automobile bodies. Such systems include those disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Application Nos. 62-101587, 62-103270, 62-216877, 62-221982 and 62-221984. Representative of the systems shown in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Nos. 62-101587, 62-103270 and 62-221984 is the system shown in FIG. 1a. In this system, windshields 2 are supplied along an auxiliary transfer mechanism 1 to a setting mechanism 3 which sets each of the windshields on a respective pallet (not shown) after which the windshield and pallet are transferred to a first transfer mechanism 4. Located along the first transfer mechanism 4 are various stations including a positioning mechanism 5, an adhesive applying mechanism 6 and a transfer mechanism 7 for removing the windshield and pallet from the first transfer mechanism 4. A second transfer mechanism 8 is provided for conveying windshields of the type mounted manually by means of rubber seals. In the case of a windshield mounted by means of adhesive, a robot 9 rotatably mounted on a base is provided for removing the windshield from the transfer mechanism 7, the robot 9 being movable from a rear windshield mounting position 10 to a front windshield mounting position 11. Automobile bodies 12 are conveyed intermittently along a conveyor line 13 and the robot 9 installs rear windshields 2d and front windshields 2c in the automobile bodies. Operation of the system just described is controlled by a computer 14. A problem with this system is that adhesive applied at station 6 can become overcured by the time the windshield is installed on a car body 12 due to environmental conditions or delays in transfer of the windshield to the car body.
The systems disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Nos. 62-221982 and 62-221984 are represented in FIG. 1b. This system includes a setting apparatus 15 at a setting station S1 whereat a front windshield b1 is loaded on a pallet 16 and a rear windshield b2 is loaded on a subsequent pallet 16. The pallets travel along a windshield supply line 17 through a primer coating station S2, a first dryer S3, a second dryer S4, a first adhesive coating station S5, a first transfer station S6, a second adhesive coating station S7 and a second transfer station S8. The rear windshields b2 pass directly through the first adhesive coating station S5 and the first transfer station S6 and instead are coated with adhesive at station S7. The front windshields b1 are coated with adhesive at station S5 by means of a coating robot 18. A transfer mechanism 19 including a lifter apparatus removes a front windshield b1 from the windshield supply line 17 and a feeding apparatus 20 moves the windshield b1 to a position for pick up by a front windshield fitting robot 21. The rear windshield is coated with adhesive by a coating robot 22 at station S7 after which the rear windshield is removed from the windshield supply line 17 by a transfer mechanism 23 including a lifter apparatus at station S8 and a feeding apparatus 24 moves the rear windshield to a position for pick up by a rear windshield fitting robot 25. Car bodies A are fed intermittently to a windshield fitting position by means of a conveyor 26. As with the earlier described system, a problem with this system is that adhesive on the windshields may become overcured due to environmental conditions or due to process delays along the processing line.
It is conventional to provide a panel wiping apparatus along the windshield supply line, such a system being described in European Patent Publication No. A10111206 published on June 20, 1984. A conventional adhesive applying means is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,628 and a conventional window setting apparatus is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,303. Also, a positioning mechanism such as the positioning mechanism 5 shown in FIG. 1a is described in more detail in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 62-205869.